Buckle for Fastening a Belt

ABSTRACT

A buckle-belt assembly includes a buckle and a belt. The buckle includes two frames and a pivot. The first frame includes a crossbar, a sleeve extending parallel to the crossbar, and a tongue extending from the sleeve so that the tongue extends substantially parallel to a plane defined by the first frame. The second frame includes two lateral bars each formed with an eye and a crossbar formed between the lateral bars. The pivot is inserted in the sleeve and the eyes to pivotally connect the first frame to the second frame. The belt includes a first end connected to the crossbar of the first frame, a second end, and punch holes located near the second end.

CROSS REFERENCE

The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/444,861 of which the entire disclosure isincorporated herein for reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a belt and, more particularly, to a buckle forfastening a belt.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A buckle is often used to fasten a belt such as a waist belt and aharness. A conventional buckle includes a frame for pivotally supportinga tongue. The belt includes a first end secured to the frame, a secondend passed through the frame, and several punch holes made near thesecond end. The tongue is selectively inserted in one of the punchholes. It requires a user to use one hand to hold the second end of thebelt and the other hand to pivot and insert the tongue in the selectedpunch hole, and this is inconvenient.

As closed in U.S. Pat. No. 303,112, another conventional buckle includesa frame (A) and a bail (B). The frame (A) includes a stay bar (f) andcrossbar (n) formed between two lateral bars. Each of the lateral barsincludes an eye (j) formed at a free end. The stay bar (f) extendsparallel to the crossbar (n). The bail (B) includes two lateral bars, acrosspiece (I) formed between the lateral bars, and a tongue (m) formedon the crosspiece (I). The tongue (m) extends perpendicular to a planedefined by the bail (B). Each of the lateral bars of the bail (B)includes an eye (k) formed at a free end. The tongue (m) extendsperpendicular to the crosspiece (I). A bolt (i) is inserted in the eyes(j) and (k) to pivotally connect the frame (A) to the bail (B). A beltincludes a first end, a second end, and punch holes made near the secondend. The first end of the belt is connected to the bolt (i), which isused to pivotally connect the frame (A) to the bail (B). The second endof the belt is passed through an opening defined by the stay bar (f),the crossbar (n) and the lateral bars of the frame (A). The second endof the belt is further passed through an opening defined by the bolt(i), the crosspiece (I) and the lateral bars of the bail (B). The beltmust be properly tensioned before the insertion of the tongue (m) in theselected punch hole. To this end, the second end of the belt is wound onthe crosspiece (I) of the bail (B), which is formed with the tongue (m),and pulled away from the bolt (i) as a common practice. However,premature insertion of the tongue (m) in the first encountered punchhole before the belt is properly tensioned is inevitable. Hence, a userhas to use one hand to lift the crosspiece (I) to pull the tongue (m)out of the first encountered punch hole and use the other hand to pullthe second end of the belt away from the bolt (i) to increase thetension in the belt. The pulling of the tongue (m) out of the firstencountered punch hole however conflicts with the tensioning of the beltbecause the pressing of the crosspiece (I) onto the belt is harder whenthe tension in the belt is increased. Hence, it is difficult to pull thetongue (m) out of the first encountered punch hole when the second endof the belt is pulled away from the bolt (i). Moreover, the maneuver ofthe buckle requires both hands of the user, and this is troublesome.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is to provide a convenient-to-usebuckle for fastening a belt that includes a first end connected to thecrossbar of the first frame, a second end, and punch holes located nearthe second end.

To achieve the above-identified object, the buckle includes two framesand a pivot. The first frame includes a crossbar, a sleeve extendingparallel to the crossbar, and a tongue extending from the sleeve so thatthe tongue extends substantially parallel to a plane defined by thefirst frame. The second frame includes two lateral bars each formed withan eye and a crossbar formed between the lateral bars. The pivot isinserted in the sleeve and the eyes to pivotally connect the first frameto the second frame.

It is an advantage that the second end of the belt is passed through anopening defined by the second frame and the sleeve of the first frame asthe tongue is inserted in a selected one of the punch holes.

It is another advantage that the first and second frames are located ontwo different sides of the pivot as the tongue is inserted in theselected punch hole so that the belt brings the tongue into tightercontact with the crossbar of the second frame as the tension in the beltis increased.

It is another advantage that the belt is tensioned as the second end ofthe belt is wound on the crossbar of the second frame and pulled awayfrom the first frame in a direction substantially parallel to the tonguewithout the risk of prematurely inserting the tongue in any other punchhole than the selected punch hole.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of twoembodiments referring to the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buckle according to the firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the buckle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a belt and the buckle shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the belt and the buckle shown inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the belt and the buckle in anotherposition than shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the belt and the buckle in anotherposition than shown in FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a buckle in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a buckle 1 includes a first frame 10, asecond frame 20 and a pivot 30 in accordance with a first embodiment ofthe present invention. A user can conveniently use only one hand tooperate the buckle 1 to fasten a belt 40 (FIGS. 3 through 6).

The first frame 10 is substantially a rectangular frame that includes asleeve 11 and a crossbar 14 formed between two lateral bars (notnumbered). A tongue 12 extends from the sleeve 11. The tongue 12 extendssubstantially parallel to a plane defined by the first frame 10. Thecrossbar 14 extends parallel to the sleeve 11. Two positioning portions13 are formed on a lower face of the first frame 10, in the vicinity ofthe sleeve 11.

The second frame 20 is substantially a U-shaped frame that includes ancrossbar 22 formed between two lateral bars 24. A bushing 26 isrotationally placed on the crossbar 22. The bushing 26 is made with anannular groove 28. Each of the lateral bars 24 includes an eye 21 formedat a free end.

The sleeve 11 is placed between the lateral bars 24 before the pivot 30is inserted in the eyes 21 and the sleeve 11. Thus, the first frame 10is pivotally connected to the second frame 20.

Referring to FIG. 3, the belt 40 is typically a leather belt formed withtwo ends. The first end of the belt 40 is tied to the crossbar 14. Indetail, the first end of the belt 40 is made a loop supported on thecrossbar 14. The belt 40 is made with several punch holes 41 near thesecond end.

Referring to FIG. 4, the belt 40 is wound on a trunk of a horse forexample. The second end of the belt 40 is passed through an openingdefined by the sleeve 11 of the first frame 10, the bushing 26 and thelateral bars 24 of the second frame 20.

Referring to FIG. 5, to increase the tension in the belt 40, the secondend of the belt 40 is turned, wound on the bushing 26 and pulled awayfrom the tongue 12 in a direction substantially parallel to the tongue12, which is formed on the first frame 10. In the process of pulling thesecond end of the belt 40 from the first frame 10, the punch holes 41are moved, one after another, past the free end of the tongue 12. Thus,it is impossible to prematurely insert the tongue 12 in any of the punchholes 41.

Referring to FIG. 6, when the tension in the belt 40 is deemed adequateand a selected one of the punch holes 41 is aligned with the free end ofthe tongue 12, the second end of the belt 40 is moved towards the tongue12 to allow the insertion of the tongue 12 in the selected punch hole41. The tip of the tongue 12 is placed in the annular groove 28 when thesecond end of the belt 40 is released. Thus, the tongue 12 is retainedin position.

The pulling of the second end of the belt 40 away from the tongue 12,which is formed on the first frame 10 is smooth for the use of thebushing 26, which is rotationally supported on the crossbar 22. Thesecond end of the belt 40 is prevented from abrasion against thecrossbar 22 due to the use of the bushing 26.

The insertion of the tongue 12 in the selected punch hole 41 is easybecause the selected punch hole 41 is located close to the free end ofthe tongue 12. In the process of pulling the second end of the belt 40towards the tongue 12, the tension in the belt 40 is not reduced sincethe free end of the tongue 12 is located very close to the belt 40,which is placed against the bushing 26.

Advantageously, the first frame 10 and the second frame 20 are locatedon different sides of the pivot 30. The tension in the belt 40 isincreased as the second end of the belt 40 is pulled away from the firstframe 10 in a direction substantially parallel to the tongue 12. Hence,a user can use only one hand to maneuver the buckle 1 to fasten thebelt. In detail, the user can use only one hand to pass the second endof the belt 40 through the opening defined by the sleeve 11 and thesecond frame 20, tension the belt 40, and insert the tongue 12 in theselected punch hole 41. Hence, the maneuver of the buckle 1 to fastenthe belt 40 is more convenient than the use of the conventional buckledisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 303,112 in which the user has to use one handto lift the crosspiece (I) to pull the tongue (m) out of the firstencountered punch hole and use the other hand to pull the second end ofthe belt away from the bolt (i) to increase the tension in the belt.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is a buckle according to a second embodimentof the present invention. The second embodiment is like the firstembodiment except that a bushing 16 is rotationally supported on thecrossbar 14 of the first frame 10. The loop formed at the first end ofthe belt 40 is supported on the bushing 16. The loop formed at the firstend of the belt 40 is prevented from abrasion against the crossbar 14due to the use of the bushing 16.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustrationof the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derivevariations from the preferred embodiment without departing from thescope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodimentshall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in theclaims.

1. A buckle-belt assembly comprising: a buckle including: a first frameincluding a crossbar, a sleeve extending parallel to the crossbar, and atongue extending from the sleeve so that the tongue extendssubstantially parallel to a plane defined by the first frame; a secondframe including two lateral bars each formed with an eye and a crossbarformed between the lateral bars; and a pivot inserted in the sleeve andthe eyes to pivotally connect the first frame to the second frame; and abelt including a first end connected to the crossbar of the first frame,a second end, and punch holes located near the second end; wherein thesecond end of the belt is passed through an opening defined by thesecond frame and the sleeve of the first frame as the tongue is insertedin a selected one of the punch holes; wherein the first and secondframes are located on two different sides of the pivot as the tongue isinserted in the selected punch hole so that the belt brings the tongueinto tighter contact with the crossbar of the second frame as thetension in the belt is increased; wherein the belt is tensioned as thesecond end of the belt is wound on the crossbar of the second frame andpulled away from the first frame in a direction substantially parallelto the tongue without the risk of prematurely inserting the tongue inany other punch hole than the selected punch hole.
 2. The buckle-beltassembly according to claim 1, further including a bushing rotationallyplaced on the crossbar of the second frame to avoid abrasion of thesecond end of the belt against the crossbar of the second frame.
 3. Thebuckle-belt assembly according to claim 2, wherein the bushing is madewith an annular groove for receiving the tongue.
 4. The buckle-beltassembly according to claim 1, further including a bushing rotationallyplaced on the crossbar of the first frame to avoid abrasion of the firstend of the belt against the crossbar of the first frame.
 5. Thebuckle-belt assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tongue extendssubstantially parallel to a plane defined by the first frame.